'How very sweet!' said Mrs. Orange. 'The dear things! How pleased
they will be!'

'I don't care for children myself,' said Mr. Orange, gaping.

'Not for girls?' said Mrs. Alicumpaine. 'Come! you care for
girls?'

Mr. Orange shook his head, and gaped again. 'Frivolous and vain,
ma'am.'

'My dear James,' cried Mrs. Orange, who had been peeping about, 'do
look here. Here's the supper for the darlings, ready laid in the
room behind the folding-doors. Here's their little pickled salmon,
I do declare! And here's their little salad, and their little
roast beef and fowls, and their little pastry, and their wee, wee,
wee champagne!'

'Yes, I thought it best, ma'am,' said Mrs. Alicumpaine, 'that they
should have their supper by themselves. Our table is in the corner
here, where the gentlemen can have their wineglass of negus, and
their egg-sandwich, and their quiet game at beggar-my-neighbour,
and look on. As for us, ma'am, we shall have quite enough to do to
manage the company.'

'O, indeed, you may say so! Quite enough, ma'am,' said Mrs.
Orange.

The company began to come. The first of them was a stout boy, with